Five ways to find help for yourself and the ones you love: Get help now at bc211.ca

Do you know the five most-searched areas for help at bc211.ca? Read below and find out:

Laid off nine months ago and unable to find new work, Mark is also caring for his seriously ill wife. He’s had to place her in assisted living, but with their savings nearly depleted, he doesn’t know how he’ll pay for it.

“I just feel like everything is coming apart – I don’t know what to do,” he says.

Karen fears her sister may be experiencing violence at the hands of her husband, and Mike thinks his wife of 50 years may be slipping into dementia. Both are desperate to find help but don’t know where to turn.

Their stories are typical of many in British Columbia. Providing help for people like this is the impetus for the vital province-wide information service, bc211.ca.

5 top-searched issues

What’s weighing on B.C. residents? Top searched topics at bc211.ca last year were:

Housing and homelessness

Substance abuse

Violence and domestic abuse

Mental Illness

Food security/food access

With the vast array of areas covered, you’ll also find links to senior, youth and family services, employment support, legal and advocacy services and more.

“British Columbians need and deserve reliable information and help they can trust. We’re here to ensure that people don’t have to rely solely on Google to deal with sometimes difficult and often very personal situations,” says Nathan Wright, executive director, bc211.

One-stop link to the information you need

Created in partnership with 10 United Ways throughout the province, the 24/7, one-stop service connects individuals with up-to-date, reliable information about community resources close to home. Find more than 10,000 current entries describing the services and organizations available to help the people of B.C.

Optimized for mobile devices, you can access information at home or on the go. Or you can chat online at bc211.ca daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“Sometimes the biggest barrier to getting help is knowing where to look,” says Michael McKnight, president and cEO, United Way of the Lower Mainland. “Bc211.ca breaks down that barrier.”